Ohio EPA Rejects Plan to Streamline Data Center Water Permits
Ohio environmental regulators have decided against a plan to offer generalized discharge permits to data centers. This decision means companies will continue to be required to provide more detailed, case-specific information for their water discharge plans, following significant public comments.
The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a reversal of its earlier plan to allow data centers to obtain "generalized" discharge permits, opting instead to continue requiring case-specific applications. This decision, which mandates companies to provide more detailed information regarding their water discharge plans, followed a comprehensive review of public comments.
This regulatory shift by the Ohio EPA contrasts with a decade-long trend in Ohio where state and local governments have offered various incentives, including sales tax exemptions, property tax abatements, and favorable air pollution permits, to attract and support the burgeoning data center industry in the state.